Beach erosion, or the displacement of sand particles from the beach or shoreline, is a continuing problem for most coastal communities. In many communities the beach is a natural resource that not only stimulates the local economy by attracting tourists and sunbathers, but also is the only barrier between the ocean and homes. Therefore, there is much interest in protecting the existing beach from washing away or eroding, and even to build-up the beach with sand that is migrating from other beaches and being transported by the currents and waves.
The majority of the current beach protection structures that prevent erosion of the beach require that the system be placed at the surface of the beach, which would hinder the enjoyment of the beach, or even prevent the use of the beach altogether. Other structures that are placed below the ground surface require an elaborate assembly of threading continuous cables through the eyelets of a plurality of members.
The disadvantage with these structures is that for a majority of the structures, the cables have to be fed through the blocks as the larger assembly is being constructed at the erosion site. If the site is large, the alignment of the cables with the block openings would become a tedious task, and if the site experienced movement or shifting of the sand, from erosion, currents, or waves at the time of assembly, the alignment required for assembly may be impossible.
What is needed is a structure that protects the beach and shoreline, that is easy to assemble, and that allows the continued enjoyment of the beach while the structure is in place.